SPARKLE WITH SPARKLING WINE. This year, why go simple? For your New Year's celebrations, take a tip from The Wine Guy in Eau Claire, and check out a few yummy sparkling wines.

It’s time to start thinking about the perfect sparkling wine to enjoy while beginning the new year with your small, intimate gathering! First, a couple housekeeping items: All sparkling wines are not Champagne, all Moscato is not sparkling, and Asti is a region in Italy, not a sparkling wine.

Confused yet? No matter.

Most people go to the store looking for “Champagne” and walk out with a Prosecco, a bottle of Korbel, or a budget-friendly Barefoot or André Moscato. Prosecco is an extremely popular sparkling wine from Italy. It’s light, white, and ultra fresh, with a dry and lively flavor profile leaning heavily into citrus, apples, pears, and melon with subtle floral notes. Fun and easy to drink with that added European sophistication! Most common for Wisconsin celebrations is a nice California sparkling, say something from Korbel Cellars of Sonoma County or Cook’s California sparkling wine. The former offers outstanding quality with a nice range of wines from dry to sweet as well as a dry and a sweet rosé.

If you’re just looking for some fun wine for your celebration without overthinking it, grab some Barefoot Bubbly. With so many options, including fruit infused Bubbly, you can find something for every taste bud without breaking the bank. You’ll even find some cool Bubbly cocktail recipes on their website if you want to get creative.

No matter what you choose, have fun! And remember to offer a few virtual “Welcome 2021” toasts to those you can’t be with. Cheers!